Floor construction



J. J. WHI TACBE. FLOOR CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FlLED JUNE 15, 19H.

Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

'To all whomit may concern? YOUNITED A E PATENT OFFICE.-

J'OHN J. W HITACBE, OF' CANTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE WHITACRE-GREER FIRE- I'ROOFING COMPANY, OF WAYNESBURG, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

r1001; ooivs'rnnc'rron- Be it known that LJOHN J. WV I'rAQRE, a citizen of. the United 'States,-resid1ng'at Canton, in the county'of Stark and State of Ohio,,have invented, celtain new and useful Improvements in Floor Constructions, of

which the following isfa specification;

The. invention relates to the construction of fireproof floors out of terra cotta blocks and reinforced concrete; and the general object of the improvement is to construct a floor with a plurality of layers of spaced rows of spaced terra cotta blocks and series of intersecting, reinforced concrete beams located in the intervening spaces between the blocks.

More particular objects of the invention pertain to the arrangement of the blocks with the longitudinal cavity in each block directed transverse the longitudinal cavity in each one of the next adjoining or adjacent block, so that the concrete of the beams will form interlocking lugs extending into the alternating open ends of the cavities and interlock the beams and the blocks in all directions.

A preferred embodiment of the invention thus set forth in general terms, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of a section of the improved floor containing two layers of blocks, showing part of the upper layer broken away to expose the blocks of the lower layer;

Fig. 2, a cross section showing two layers of blocks, as on line 2--2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a similar section as on line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Figs. at and 1 are detached perspective views of one of the blocks;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective view of a section of floor made of two layers of blocks, showing details of the arrangement thereof;

Fig. 6, an enlarged section showing details of the blocks-and beams as in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7, a detached perspective view showing a. preferred form of slab for spacing the blocks and forming the bottom of the beams; and

Fig. 8, a detached perspective view show- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 11 21, Application filed June-'15, 1917. Serial No. 174,895.

- ing the, formation of an integral spaclng slab upon the end of a block.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

Each block 10 is provided with one or more longitudinal cavities 11 extendingen-f tirely through thebody of'theblock in one direction; which is herein referredto as longitudinal of the block, and all the ex-- ternal surfaces of the walls of the block are preferably provided with series of longitudinal grooves 12 into which the'concrete of the beams 13 and of the joints 14 are adapted to enter for engaging with the walls of the block.

For the purpose of the present invention the blocks of'each layer are spaced from one another in all directions, and are located so that the longitudinal cavity of each block is located transverse the direction of the longitudinal cavity in each next longitudinally and laterally adjacent block; and the blocks in each layer are superposed directly over the block in the next lower layer,

and the longitudinal cavity of the block in one layer located transverse the direction of the longitudinal cavity of the corresponding block in the next adjoining layer.

The blocks are preferably spaced apart, and the bottoms of the spaces between the blocks are preferably closed, by means of separate slabs 15, or by integral extensions 15 on the ends of the blocks. Such slabs 15 are preferably made by splitting a block in a horizontal plane and then transversely cutting the long slab thus formed into short sections equal in length to the desired space between the blocks, as shown in Fig. 7 and such integral extensions 15 may be made by cutting away av portion of the upper part of the end of the block, as shown in Fig. 8.

In the formation of the floor, the blocks and the spacing slabs are placed upon a temporary platform, not shown, after which concrete beams 13 are formed in all the intersecting spaces between the blocks, it.

continuous terra cotta finish for the ceilin formed by the lower surface of the floor? Longitudinal reinforcing rods 16 are preferably provided in the lower portions of the I beams in the usual manner, and it is evident that the lugs 17 formed by the concrete enterin the open ends of the longitudinal cavities 11, serve to interlock the alternate blocks in each layer and in each row.

For the purpose of increasing the inter-- locking effect between the sides of the blocks and the concrete beams, it is sometimes desirable to concave the faces of the side walls tudinal cavities of each block being directed transverse the longitudinal cavity of each adi'oinin and each laterally and longitudina ly ad acent block and intersecting concrete beams in the spaces between the blocks having lugs extendinginto the ends of the longitudinal cavities. i

2. Floor construction including a plurality of layers of spaced rows of spaced blocks having longitudinal cavities therein, the

blocks of one layer being superposed upon the blocks of another layer and the longitudinal cavities of each block being directed transverse the longitudinal cavity of each adjoining and each laterally and longitudinally adjacent block, spacing slabs between the bottoms ofthe lower blocks, and intersectin concrete beams in the spaces between i the b ocks havin lugs extending into the ends of the longitudinal cavities.

JOHN J. WHITAORE. 

